Praying for Malaysia, Malawi, Madagascar, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Martinique

This week we continue praying for a different country each day. Today we look at Malaysia, densely populated, spread on the peninsula and island of Northern Borneo its population is 60% Muslim and it is illegal to witness there. Major challenge is the shortage of trained pastoral workers. Majority of the church are youth under 30. By per capita this country has less Adventists than Canada, which is disproportionate to neighboring Philippines, where Adventist church numbers over a million members. Pray for freedom to witness.
Sunday we lift in prayer Malawi. Freedom of worship here has been a blessing for fast growth of our church, half population of Canada it has over 300,000 of Adventist believers. Pray for ADRA projects there, especially for relief of AIDS epidemic, and providing shelters to orphans. There is a concern about fast growing Islamic presence. Pray for continuing freedom of faith.
Monday we pray for Madagascar (fourth largest island in the world!) Extreme poverty where 90% live on less than $2 per day. Emerging from military Marxist regime the church is growing rapidly. Adventist church doubled in the last 10 years! Andapa Adventist Hospital provides credible witness. Pray for continuing increase in mission work.
On Tuesday we pray for Maldives of the coast of India and Sri Lanka are still in the category of “families still to gather” as there is no Adventist Church presence there. Over 2000 islands over 700 kms, of which 200 are populated by Sunni Muslims. Only Adventist Radio offers the ministry there currently. Pray for a mission breakthrough.
Wednesday we raise in prayer Mali. The land of Timbuktu. Predominantly Muslim. The country suffers from encroaching Sahara desert, severe droughts and famine. Adventist church started two decades ago and is growing by one-on-one witness. Pray for Christian missionaries, ADRA and all relief workers to show love of Christ in practical ways.
Thursday we lift in prayer Malta, where Adventist presence is also new, registered in 1994 and within last two decades only 27 members accepted the Three Angels message. Most Maltese are Roman Catholic and the Catholic Christianity has a long history of surviving Muslim occupation. There were no protestants there at all until 1964! This island was first in Western Europe to learn about Christianity when Apostle Paul shipwrecked there. It is a strategic naval place in Mediterranean. As part of European Union is also suffers from decadence and secularism. Pray for spiritual search and revival.
Friday we lift in prayers Martinique – a French Caribbean island between St.Lucia and Dominica. As a part of France it is a member of European Union with EURO as a currency. People are enjoying higher level of economic security. With strong Cathlic presence, the Adventist church is also fast growing and vibrant. Adventists on the island enjoy about the same ratio per capita as other Caribbean nations. The current challenge is also similar – many believers are coming from dysfunctional or single-parent families and from a background of immorality and drug abuse. Pray for transforming power of the Gospel to set captives free, to give deliverance to the oppressed.